Haanstang's 210 peninsula

[leptang]

Thank you for you kind words, they really mean a lot.
I wanted to get into this hobby long before I actually did just because of the price factor. So because of that I tried thinking of ways to save money and still be able to have the big peninsula tank that I've always wanted.
The stand was a no brainer "DIY" but I didn't think about making my own sump until I decided to have a filtration room. After that it was just looking at every type of sump I could think of to get ideas. And since it's not going under a tank really opened up the size possibly. The sump is far from done, lots of things to do on it yet before I can start pluming the internals of the sump but it's getting there. I wouldn't have built one if I hadn't found out about pond armor. Sure I could have used fiberglass or just epoxy but there is the possibility of something in those that might not agree with a reef system long term. Pond armor was made specially for fish. It is non toxic uncured and cured.
I'm hoping the the live "rock ruble canal" (trade mark pending [emoji6]) plus filter socks is a benefit. in theory it should work well. All the overflow water from all three tanks will have to pass through the rock to get to the socks. marine pure block are great but pricey rock ruble is cheap and I have the room to do the canal.
Hopefully I have steady progress from here on out.

I think the best benefits of a coral~rock rubble canal would be used with a Calcium reactor to help raise the pH before it returns to your DT.
It will fill up with detritus overtime

 

[haanstang]

I think the best benefits of a coral~rock rubble canal would be used with a Calcium reactor to help raise the pH before it returns to your DT.
It will fill up with detritus overtime

The width of the canal is 4" just wide enough for my closed fist. I did that so it would be easy to take rocks in and out. Thinking of putting a clean up crew or parts of one in that section too.

 

[haanstang]

I'm kind of wondering how well the water will remain heated from the sump going through the return underneath the floor back up in the wall and into The display tank. Does anyone with basement sump's or remote sumps find that heating the water is different than having a sump directly underneath the tank?
I'm kicking the idea around of making inline heaters on each tank plumbed in just before the return enters the tank with temperature probes in each individual overflow box. The in-line heater's are easy to build but where the money comes in is buying two more temperature probes and modules. In theory the heaters should be on less time than if they were in the sump which in turn should save money in the long run and the probes and modules should pay for themselves over time. Does anybody have any input on this?

By the way I really need to find this place called Theory and move there because whatever you build make or have in Theory always works. [emoji1360]

 

[haanstang]

Maybe I could get away with not putting one on the refugium tank.

 

[Clayton Jessup]

Amazing I am a lot in the same boat as you haanstang , very tight on money due to the fact that I am still a student. But I am dying to have my first reef tank. Mine is a lot smaller though a 75g with a diy sump and a lot of diy went into my stand that I got used when I purchased the tank. Please take a look at it "Embarking the Journey " by Clayton Reef Build . Just search for it and I hope you like and follow along on my journey as I am with yours. Great work once again !

 

[Janci]

I'm kind of wondering how well the water will remain heated from the sump going through the return underneath the floor back up in the wall and into The display tank. Does anyone with basement sump's or remote sumps find that heating the water is different than having a sump directly underneath the tank?
I'm kicking the idea around of making inline heaters on each tank plumbed in just before the return enters the tank with temperature probes in each individual overflow box. The in-line heater's are easy to build but where the money comes in is buying two more temperature probes and modules. In theory the heaters should be on less time than if they were in the sump which in turn should save money in the long run and the probes and modules should pay for themselves over time. Does anybody have any input on this?

By the way I really need to find this place called Theory and move there because whatever you build make or have in Theory always works. [emoji1360]

Between the sump and isplay tank there will always be a loss of temperature. This loss will be compensated when the water returns to the sump and will be heated more once again.
I believe (from the place in Theory) that heaters have there highest efficiency in a tank surrounded by low flow. A heater which is placed in line will need to be longer to allow more contact from the water with the heater as it runs much faster. Too much flow will make the heater useless due to ineffectivity.
Another option is to shield your return line with some isolation pads to prevent minimum temperature loss.

I like your sump idea with the rock rumble channel. As your sump will allow very little light to enter the rumble zone, bacteria will do better in denitrification. It will work as a deep sand bed. Just pick good rock and with a slow cycle, you will benefit from this for sure.

 

[haanstang]

Between the sump and isplay tank there will always be a loss of temperature. This loss will be compensated when the water returns to the sump and will be heated more once again.
I believe (from the place in Theory) that heaters have there highest efficiency in a tank surrounded by low flow. A heater which is placed in line will need to be longer to allow more contact from the water with the heater as it runs much faster. Too much flow will make the heater useless due to ineffectivity.
Another option is to shield your return line with some isolation pads to prevent minimum temperature loss.

I like your sump idea with the rock rumble channel. As your sump will allow very little light to enter the rumble zone, bacteria will do better in denitrification. It will work as a deep sand bed. Just pick good rock and with a slow cycle, you will benefit from this for sure.

I may have been over thinking the heater aspect of the build. The main reason for it was if I have the sump 125g and 55g or 65g refugium (what every one I use) all in the filtration room then those tanks temp will be the same having the heaters in the sump but the 210 will be cooler than all the others because of the distance and where the water has to travel. I already have pipe insulation for the return and overflow piping going to the DT. I just don't know how much temp difference there will be depending on the time of year. Say it's two degrees and I'm just throwing a number out there because I don't really know. If I want 78 degree in the DT I would have to have the temp set at 80 degrees which is ok but I'm worried about the temp swings of the DT given the fact that it will be in a much larger room compared to everything else in the fishroom. So the fishroom water may have small variations in temp not needing the heater to turn on and the DT may have larger swings because of this. Again I may be over thinking it. I was really wondering if reefers with basement sumps see this situation or is it so minimal that it doesn't matter. I was thinking the temperature swings would be smaller in the DT if the heater was just before the tank with the prob just after the tank.

I may go with a deep sand bed underneath the rock ruble as well
Thanks for your input

 

[haanstang]

Some pictures I just took before I leave for work. Just because

The Watchmen and starry blenny are in different tanks. Watchmen has a tiger pistol and is doing his job. The starry is just camera shy.

 

[haanstang]

 

[haanstang]

This is a awesome idea of a sump! I want one now

Taking orders.
Can build wooden, Acrylic or glass. [emoji51]

 

[haanstang]

Can anyone tell me what the outside diameter of a dosing tube is? I'm making a built in holder for the sump but don't use automatic dosing at the moment. Are different brands different sizes or do they all use airline tubes

 

[Janci]

They use the same airline. diameter about 6mm or 1/4".

 

[haanstang]

They use the same airline. diameter about 6mm or 1/4".

Awesome thanks. Just wanted to make sure

 

[Rob77]

amazing build!

 

[haanstang]

amazing build!

Thanks. Should get a lot done this weekend with some new updates one big one is I've changed my mind a little on what I'm keeping inside the 210 DT. Details to come. I've been getting some awesome advice from one of the best in the hobby. I don't want to say anything more at the moment but I'm really excited about it.

 

[Txdragonslayer]

So I haven't posted in a while. Still making progress but it's been slow progress. Stand is done except for final coat of paint and glass doors for the sump area for the 40b that's going on the bottom

that half wall behind the stand is coming out and putting new floor in the living room and entryway. I was given a 125g tank that I had to tear down and move. This is going into the fishroom and will be a softy tank most likely.

(my son cleaning it for me) because of the new to me tank I have 4 more fish that I wasn't expecting. Two more clowns 10y+ a fox 8y and a yellow tail damsel 11y old. I had to treat the female clown because it had Popeye when I got it home. I couldn't tell when I was moving the tank because of the lack of maintenance that had been done on the tank. I've had them a couple months and all is well. This is what the tank looked like before I broke it down. Salinity was through roof because of evaporation

I started building my sump that will be in the fishroom 2'x2'x6' not done yet but working on it today. It has a 4 inch wide by 6 feet long by the height of the sump rock rubble canal is what I'm calling it that all three tanks will drain into before it makes its way to the 6, 4 inch filter socks. Don't know if I will have any benefits using rock rubble for filter and filter socks but the main reason is just for extra water capacity as the water level will be to the top of the sump almost in the section. I will have three return pumps. One for the 210g main display, One for the most likely softy tank. And one for the refugium tank/ carbon, gfo or whatever else I may want. The inlet for the refugium Will be picking up the water from underneath the filter socks but before the skimmer. It's a work in progress in itself.

.
110 gallons operating water level 180 full to the top.
Questions comments and input are appreciated. Sorry for the lack of posting but I'll try to do a better job from now on

I am glad to see you doing this sump, I have been thinking of doing somethijng similar!

 

[ChuzUThisDay]

...It will fill up with detritus overtime

That would be my concern too since your tanks are draining here first then hitting the filter socks after the rubble. Even with a large cleanup crew in the rubble channel, I'd fear nitrate and phosphate would continually rise.

 

[haanstang]

That would be my concern too since your tanks are draining here first then hitting the filter socks after the rubble. Even with a large cleanup crew in the rubble channel, I'd fear nitrate and phosphate would continually rise.

I've thought of this. That's why I made it wide enough to get my hand in and out of it. There are zones for the rubble that will concentrate detritus in certain areas and Micro fauna will consume the majority of it breaking it down further to free floating particles for the socks and skimmer to take out and if that doesn't work like planned the worse case I'll have to suck it out. Which will be easy having it in one small area. I'm thinking of having a flexible hose on one valve of the manifold that I can use for blowing off areas of the sump and by turning some other valves I can pump it directly into a sock for cleaning

 

[ChuzUThisDay]

...if that doesn't work like planned the worse case I'll have to suck it out.

Not sure if you've tried it before, but I recently found a shop vac can empty 15 gallons of water and grime flawlessly from a sump in about 45 seconds.

I'm thinking of having a flexible hose on one valve of the manifold that I can use for blowing off areas of the sump and by turning some other valves I can pump it directly into a sock for cleaning

That's an awesome idea and would be a good use of a manifold leg.

 

[knowen87]

I've had a basement sump before and the difference in temperature is negligible especially in the pipes that run to and from the tank. There is never more than a few gallons in the pipe and return pump flow rates would mean that the water just a few seconds in the pipe. My basement was unheated and I never had an issue with water fluctuation. Im sure it cost a tiny bit more to heat the water but the water temp was always super steady.

No need for in line heaters. Just put your heater in the sump and set the temperature.
I don't think you will have a problem with detritus in the drain pipes the water flow will keep most stuff moving along. The only thing that might collect is a little debris (sand, rock chunks) I wouldn't worry too much about it though. My current drain goes down about 2ft, travels over to the sump and then back up 1ft to get into the sump. I love it. The water comes out so smooth and quiet. All of the bubbles dissipate inside the tube so there are no bubbles in the water that comes to the sump (ie almost no salt creep in the sump) I love the way my drain works and it is very similar to yours.

20170408_205754_zpszu5zcaqs by Nate Owen, on Flickr